Solo Tents

I know some people will call me a 'Billy No Mates' but for me getting away from it all means getting away from most people as well as from work and everyday life! Me and my solo tent have a special relationship and my missus often jokes if I had to choose between her and it I'd chose the solo tent. In reality, I'd hate to be put on the spot and asked to make that decision!

Camping and backpacking are activities that can be just as pleasurable if you're travelling alone as they are with a good bunch of mates. A good, lightweight solo tent to keep you warm and dry out in the wilderness is key to my one man adventures. Of course hiking and camping on your own takes some adjustment as you can't rely on other people to be taking along gear you might need. You are literally on your own! At a push you might bump into some other hikers on the trail if you get stuck for something but you'd be a fool to plan for that. You need to carry all the water, tucker, tools and kit including your solo tent as your shelter for your adventure.

As the name implies, a solo tent is built to hold one person and their gear. These tents come in a variety of weights and sizes so you'll need to choose one depending on your size and the type of adventures you'll use it for. If you're into year round camping think about how resistant a solo tent will be to harsher weather. Space can be limited inside so try to keep gear youre carrying to a minimum.

Although solo tents are smaller than other backpacking tents, many of them still come with the same features such as rainflys, storage pockets, coated materials for UV and water protection, ventilation systems and vents. Never compromise on quality as your tent can be all that's between you and what may be very cold nights outside. Solo tents are also designed for three season and four season use and come in both freestanding and non freestanding versions.

Of course, one of the benefits of a solo tent is its size. I've had many great weekends out in The Alpine National Park and find I can move more quickly and cover more ground if it's just me and my solo tent. There's nobody to hold me back from going off the trail or taking a more challenging route. The small size of a solo tent means you can pitch it pretty much anywhere and you don't need to spend time hunting for a large flat area as you do with some of the larger beasts! Its weight is another benefit, and some models of solo tents will also give you the option of travelling even lighter in good weather as you can just use a rainfly and footprint for shelter leaving the main tent canopy at home.

Even if you are travelling with a couple of mates a solo tent is a good option for shelter. Just make sure your mates take there's too as you don't want any gatecrashers! Much as I love my mates I do like my own space so if we all take our own solo tents we know we can get a night's peace.